Breakfast the next few days were completely different. Everyone acted different around me, watching my every move as if I would crack, or get hurt in front of them and bleed out to my death. It annoyed me that they were treating me like a fragile china doll, but at least the heavy weight was off my chest and I didn't have to explain why I looked like death some days.

"Are you feeling alright today, dear? Do you want to go back to your room and eat breakfast in bed?" Delilah whispered into my ear as we waited for the last few people to enter. Today officially marked a week, so that meant it was game night/family day. Quinn, Emilee, Dimitri and their kids were coming over for breakfast as well.

I sighed and cocked my head sideways so I didn't have to raise my voice. "I'm fine. Just pretend I never told you that and treat me like a normal person, please. I won't die today."

Her lips thinned, but she nodded and grabbed both of my hands in between hers. She squeezed them, before she dropped them only to pull me into a hug, completely surprising me. "I'll try Evangeline. We might had been strangers a week ago, but I already see you as a daughter. I care for you."

My heart soared at her words. A stranger cared for me. A stranger...

I unwrapped myself from her warm embrace and took the necessary steps back so I wouldn't feel so uncomfortable being close to her. "Not trying to dim the mood any more, but how longer do I have to stay? Is a week enough for them to forget about me? I know I did." I cracked a smile, knowing it didn't meet my eyes, and she knew. She tried to smile back, but it didn't last more than two seconds.

"Actually, Alex was going to talk to you about that later on, but since you mentioned it, I guess I'll tell you." Her hand went up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, and I had to fight the urge to cringe back. "It is safe for you to leave now," my eyes widened in surprise, but she raised a finger to halt me. "But I would feel much better if you left tomorrow, if you still wish to leave. Let us enjoy your company on one last family game night."

I looked into her hazel eyes, that were begging for me to stay one last day. They widened even more as I took more time to think about it, and I chuckled softly as she added a small pout. "I guess. But only until tomorrow!" I was gasping before I could finish my sentence. She had engulfed me into a tight hug, picking me up as everyone watched, laughing.

"You can be my partner. Alex can play with his grandson."

"Wait, what?" Alex gasped as everyone in the room laughed while the rest of the family arrived. The screaming kids followed maids to a separate dining room, where many male and female pack members looked out for them so the parents could eat in peace. Only babies stayed with their parents, and since Alice was the only one who had given birth recently, she was the only one who had a child in her arms.

As I looked around the room, watching everyone take their seats, I noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Xavier?" I whispered mostly to myself, but of course, with all of the supernatural hearing, they heard me.

"He still hasn't, err, arrived from his... walk last night."

I blinked rapidly as I slumped down in an empty chair, not watching who was around me.  A plate was placed in front of me, and all thoughts of Xavier erased from my mind as I saw the French toast smothered in fruit and cream. I heard a few chuckles, but I didn't pay attention as I dug in, mentally moaning as the berries burst in my mouth, creating a mouthwatering concoction.

It wasn't long after we finished our breakfast, that Quinn quickly followed behind me, halting me mid step. "So I heard you told them all a few days ago. Are you ok?"

I shrugged, beginning to walk again as she followed me. "I guess. I don't feel any different. Do I smell different?"

I mentally prepared myself for her response. When she didn't answer, I stopped walking, and looked behind me, only to notice her a few feet away. "What? Do I?"

She blinked rapidly, and quickly caught up. "Of course not. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Why did you freeze?" I questioned and that caught her off guard again.

"I guess I never expected you to ask that question," she answered a few paces later. She followed me all the way to a library, but paused right at the threshold of the room.

"You're not coming in?"

She shook her head. "I have something else to do, but remember, my offer still stands."

Before she could get so far away, I ran back to the door and called her. She paused and turned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "I am wondering... how can you help me?"

She pursed her lips, as if she was wondering if she should tell me her plans. "Well, chemo for starters, and then maybe, just maybe, asking permission, with your consent of course. If this is your second time and for some miracle you beat it again, it will come back later on. The only way to keep you cancer free is to..." She trailed off, but I completely understood what she was saying. The only way for me to survive this cancer a third time was if I became a supernatural. But that was something I didn't want to be... I found it a bit weird being a human at some point of your life, and then becoming this powerful, immortal being. Just the thought of it freaked me out.

I nodded at her and didn't stop her this time from walking away. I slowly turned back around, and found my way to a couch, the book I had found yesterday still in the same spot on the table in front of it. I was about to pick it up when a thought halted me, making me think about what exactly it meant.

Xavier was a hybrid? But how? He looked normal to me; he didn't look like he had trouble controlling his other side, or sides. His mother was a human when she gave birth to him, so her current vampire genes couldn't have affected him. He was a wolf from his father's side, so how had he become a hybrid?

I was so deep into my thoughts I didn't hear someone walk in and sit down across from me. It was only when he cleared his throat, that I jumped up and placed a hand on my hammering heart. "You scared me!"

He gave me a sheepish grin "I did say your name multiple times. What has you so deep in thoughts?"

I chewed on my lip before I decided to tell him. "It's about Xavier actually. He told me he was a hybrid the day I told him about... my medical condition. But I don't understand how he is one."

Alex was nodding at my words before I finished speaking. His hands were intertwined in front of his face as he bent forward, propping his elbows on his knees. His index fingers were tapping against each other in front of his mouth as he stared at me in concentration. "I suppose I can tell you."

I blinked surprised at him. "You don't have to tell me if you can't. Family secrets should stay a family secret."

He gave me a small smile and then he mumbled something underneath his breath. He stood up, going to a bookshelf I hadn't touched yet, and grabbed a thick, red book. He quickly came back, sat next to me, and opened it up, showing me some kind of sign. I slowly grabbed the book as he handed it to me, and my fingers traced the pattern as he spoke.

"That, right there, is known as the fertility mark." My eyes moved to him as he spoke all about the mark, and how Delilah had it. Then, how when Noah was born, he was born with it, but his was different. No one knew what it meant, and many wolves did research, but it was never found, even though Alex was as old as the mark itself. It was only when Xavier shifted for the first time did they realize what the power of that mark was.

"So he's half wolf half vampire? He can phase into both forms, but not at the same time?" He nodded and I blinked at him in shock. "But how do you know it was because of the mark? How do you know that because of it, he became that."

He shrugged as he closed the book. "We don't. It's just guesses. It can be that Noahs mark triggered the dead recessive vampire gene from Eveline, but then all of their children would be hybrids." I nodded in understanding. "Or it can be what we think it is: Noah's genes carrying the vampire trait, and then having a chance of passing it down to his children. We just don't know."

He quickly placed the book back, and then went to stand behind the couch he had been sitting before. "Anyways, I didn't come here to talk to you about genes. I came here to let you know about something in one of your many options for tomorrow."

"What about it?" The words were forced out from my dry throat.

"If you choose to leave, I have provided accommodations for you in each pack you may cross." I opened my mouth to object, but he raised a hand, halting me as he shook his head. "I won't accept no. Take this as a gift from me. Just let a wolf know you have a message to their Alpha from me, and they will provide you with safety and a shelter. I'm sure I can speak for Dimitri and say his covens will do the same as well."

"You got that right." I jumped at the new voice. "Hello Alex. Nice to see you again Eva."

"Hi," I shyly spoke to Dimitri as he propped himself in the threshold of the room.

"Ready to go?" He asked Alex after smiling at me.

"Yes. We will see you again at dinner, Eva. Whatever choice you make tomorrow, we will all accept it." They quickly walked away, leaving me alone for a few seconds before the hallway was filled with multiple voices. One voice in particular caught my attention, and I stood up from my spot as they all walked in, laughing and pushing each other while the kids with books sulked.

A chorus of voices echoed out my name, a few came over to hug me, but then they all disappeared around the corner of the big room.

All except one.

We stood there, staring at one another, blinking in silence. He took a step forward, his mouth opening to say something, but he quickly closed it shut and shook his head. He settled with a small smile and two small words. "Hi Eva."

"Xavier." I nodded, walking towards him, but swerving to the side so I could walk out the door he had just gone through. I was just a step out from the room when I heard my name coming from his mouth again. I paused, feeling him standing behind me.

"Can we talk?" He whispered after a few moments of tense silence. I shivered involuntarily and nodded, pointing forwards without looking at him.

"Can we talk outside? I need some fresh air." He followed me silently, but kept his eyes trained on my back. I tried not to think about him watching me, but every step I took or every brush my hand made to my hair, I could feel his eyes following it. Once we were outside, I led him to a mini gazebo and paused in the middle. I didn't hear him climb up, so I was assuming he was still standing on the grass. "What do you want to talk about?"

He didn't speak. He stayed silent, and I slowly turned to face him, seeing sadness in his eyes. His unexpected reaction had me taking a step back, and his next words caused my breath to hitch.

"Please don't go."